Duck-ectives solve mystery of rubber duck that sailed from Alberta to Russia

If rubber ducks could talk, one in particular would have an amazing adventure to tell. 

Two years ago, Vladimir Matusevitch was on holiday on the Arctic shores of the Rybachy Peninsula, Russia. 

Resting among the beach rocks, he noticed a grubby rubber duck inscribed with the number 1417. 

"It's a strange thing to find," he told CBC Edmonton's Radio Active from his home in Moscow. 

Matusevitch said he realized it was from a duck race — a festival where thousands of rubber ducks are released into a river for charity — but didn't know any in the area.

"There are not such great duck races in Russia," he said.

Matusevitch decided to find out where the duck came from. He sent hundreds of emails and Facebook messages to duck races around the world.